Connected is the Key
Notes
Transcript
How many of us have ever felt like we know:
How many of us have ever felt like we know:
things about God
scriptures
actions to take
But we just don’t feel like there is something special happening? We’re just not experiencing Him Sometimes we just don’t feel the
But we just don’t feel like there is something special happening? We’re just not experiencing Him Sometimes we just don’t feel the
peace
joy
patience
movement we feel like needs to happen..
Simple answer is that’s b/c our feelings change from
day to day
Moment to moment
Sometimes we feel blah, or we feel like reverting back into our old way of living but we know that’s not going to solve our problems.. But we don’t quite know which direction to move in at the exact moment.
Here’s the thing about you and I. We are wired to do…. To do something. Sometimes we get to a place where there’s
nothing to do
No where to go
and no accomplishment to be made.
When you are having a bad day, or going through something hard- sometimes all you need is someone to sit with you. Just to know that you are not alone. Just to know that despite all of the bad things happening or all of the negative talk
someone loves us
someone cares for us
someone is there for us.
Sometimes that’s what God is doing for us.
I don’t know about you but when I read the stories of the Bible or even watch movies, I see the character on screen do some really big things.
I don’t know about you but when I read the stories of the Bible or even watch movies, I see the character on screen do some really big things.
Then I think, what really big things is God wanting me to do?
And what if I’m not doing them?
Sometimes those thoughts can be crippling b/c then I’m expecting more out of myself then maybe God is expecting out of me. Now I don’t say that to say God doesn’t have big plans for us, but I do think sometimes we get so focused on what we’re not doing in our lives that we can become crippled. Or our problems become so big that we feel like failures.
Today we’re going to be looking at what to do when we get into those situations, we always have to go back to our purpose in life..
Our purpose is to glorify and honor the Creator by connecting to our Creator.
Let’s look at that right now.
1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
Because most of us don’t know the process of creating wine and the details that go into planting a vineyard I want to give us a different illustration.
Think of this lamp- Why isn’t it currently working? B/c It’s not plugged in. Once I plug it into the source it can work. NOTICE: The light isn’t doing what it’s supposed to do (it’s not producing fruit) unless it’s plugged into the SOURCE.
So NOTICE: the only way for the lamp to work is if it is connected to the source. I can never give light if it’s not connected to the source. It can’t serve it’s purpose.
The bulb-has value and purpose but only when it’s connected to the source of electricity.
This is why you cannot only be good and get to heaven. B/c the main objective isn’t to be good, it’s to be connected.
As much as you and I want to try to make our light bulb light up on our own we can’t.
Sometimes I get up and get straight into my day:
workout
connect with my family
i try to help people
Plan my life or plan things for the church
Sermon
try to connect with my coworkers or people in the community
then I try to spend time with my family in some way- I get to the end of the day and I am worn out
Sometimes I feel like I’m failing in all the areas.
What do you do during your day?- Work- make money- family- friends- netflix fall into bed?
A lot of the time I’m try to do those on my own strength and understanding, trying to logically move through the day. And sometimes I haven’t even connected with the source to do it.
I CAN DO THIS FOR A MINUTE… But not long, I can feel it after a few days of repeating the cycle. I lose the
joy
peace
def patience.
Let’s think back to those bible heros or the heros in the movies. Do you ever wonder where you’re headed in life? Like what is my life amounting to…
A lot of the time we try to figure out the BIG things in or lives- like our dreams and our next steps by consulting ourselves.
Christine Cane said recently:
that we have raised an entire generation that have stopped following Jesus and started following their dreams. What she said next was profound… (Screen) Follow Christ and your dream will follow you
If you want to fulfil the purposes that God has for your life, if you want to do what your creator has created you to do, then you need to stay connected to Christ. Like a lightbulb is connected to the plug.
Often we think our purpose is connected to our jobs. But Jesus isn’t saying that. He is saying that our purpose is actually tied to our connection with our creator. See often the biggest mistake we can make is to think our purpose is connected with what we do b/c:
If we lose our job we’ve lost our purpose
If we get to a place 5 years down the road and are
successful but not fulfilled we think we’ve lost our purpose
aren’t finding success we think we’ve failed.
Our purpose is our CONNECTION not our JOBS.
Your purpose has nothing to do with who you are(identity) but has everything to do with who you are connected to .
This morning I want to share 2 ways to live a productive life according to this passage:
Your purpose has nothing to do with who you are(identity) but has everything to do with who you are connected to .
This morning I want to share 2 ways to live a productive life according to this passage:
1. Stay connected to Christ. (Screen)
1. Stay connected to Christ. (Screen)
We live in a world that is obsessed with staying connected. In fact, research shows that first thing that 80% of us do when we get out of bed is check our phone. This is before going to
bathroom
brushing your teeth
coffee.
80% jump on our phone and check email or social media.
Have you ever seen someone who is always connected to their phone lose their phone? They will turn their office or house upside down to find it… “Where’s my phone?” “Where’s my phone?” It’s hysterical! Truth is, if we are honest with ourselves, most of us are too connected to our phone and if we lost it, we would go on the hunt.
Let me ask you a profound question… (Screen)
If you were disconnected from Jesus, would you feel it?
When we stop connecting with Christ our light starts to fade. When I was in Cuba the first church we visited he talked about something that I’ll never forget. He said that Satan can imitate the spiritual gifts but he cannot imitate the fruit of the spirit. In other words someone who isn’t connected to God can imitate the spiritual gifts but they cannot imitate the fruit of the spirit.
When we are connecting with God we are gaining our strength our purpose our identity from Him.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
Your production has everything to do with your connection.
See here’s the deal. Having my children be good people isn’t good enough for me. B/c I know that doesn’t mean that they will be with me for eternity.
Having my children be connected that’s a different story. I want my children’s-children’s-children all the way down to be with me for eternity. In order for that to happen I need to do everything I can to be connected to the source and I need to teach them to do everything possible to be connected and remain connected to the source. Nothing else I do matters. No amount of Good- B/c Good doesn’t lead to God. Only Jesus leads to God.
If I do good and contribute it to anything but God people won’t get the message. But if I contribute my whole life and abilities to God they might understand that the reason I’m different isn’t b/c I’m any sort of a good person but I’m different b/c I’m connected to a different kind of source.
And I can only do any kind of eternal good b/c I’m connected to that SOURCE.
That’s what it mean’s when Jesus says for apart from me you can do nothing. I’m looking to impact eternity and the only way you can do that is by asking God what to do in the moment.
Who to talk to
who to share with
who to help.
And in order to get the answer I have to be connected.
Let me ask you something… what’s the job of this bulb? To give light, right? Can it do anything other than that? Yes, it can NOT shine light. But those are the only two options. If it is connected to the source it will have no choice but shine its light. If it’s not connected to the source it will not shine its light.
I want to give you some peace today. The people around us don’t need us to have more:
$$
things
experiences
stories
They need us to do what we were created to do when connected to the source and that’s shine our light. SO DON’T SPEND MOST of your energy pursuing those first.
Now I want to shift back over to gardening for a moment b/c I can’t convey this point through my light analogy.
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
The second way to live a productive life is to get used to the pruning .
2. GOD DOESN’T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT HE MIGHT WANT TO CUT SOMETHING OUT
The second way to live a productive life is to get used to the pruning .
2. GOD DOESN’T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT HE MIGHT WANT TO CUT SOMETHING OUT
Again, Jesus says we have one job. And that is to get and remain connected to Him. So when you wake up in the morning remember that and even if you don’t feel great know that when you connect w/ God you’ve done what God has asked of you.
Back track with me for a minute to a verse we skipped over at the beginning.
2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.
This 2 me doesn’t make sense when it comes 2 gardening. But it’s been proven that when you cut your plant down even when you cut the beautiful flowers, it will grow more abundantly the next year.
Notice He says he cuts off every branch that doesn’t produce fruit. Why? B/c that means in some way it’s not connect to the source.
Then he says he prunes those who do produce fruit.
PRUNING FOCUSES THE GROWTH AND ENERGY OF THE PLANT ON THE FRUIT.
Pruning can seem like a harsh thing but in fact it’s actually the sign of a caring gardener.
For you and for me when things happen in our lives we might ask where God is in all of this when actually He is right next to us.
I wouldn’t be a loving parent if I didn’t allow my kids to go through things and wrestle through things so that they could become stronger.
11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
So REMAIN.
So when things
start falling apart around you.
When your life doesn’t look like you thought it should.
When things don’t seem fair.
Just remember this is a chance for things to become new and different.
Maybe God will use this to lead you somewhere BIG or some where you never thought you’d be.
When life tries to get you to question who you are just remember, life isn’t about who you are it’s about who you are connected to.
Give them the homework that is on their sermon notes (or app).
Here are a few simple action steps focused on remaining in Jesus. These are just ideas that will help you focus on staying connected to Jesus, rather than trying to produce something for Him on our own strength. Try a couple and see what happens.
1. Start Your Day with Jesus
Before reaching for your phone or diving into the day’s tasks, spend 5-10 minutes with Jesus. Read a short Bible passage, say a prayer, or sit in silence and invite His presence into your day.
2. Gratitude Journal
Each day, write down 3 ways you’ve seen Jesus work in your life or areas where you’ve felt His presence. This keeps you connected and reminds you to remain in Him, seeing His hand even in small things
3. Practice 5-Minute Pauses
Throughout your day, take 5-minute pauses to realign with Jesus. No agenda, no list. Find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and let go of any pressure to produce. Just focus on being with Him, trusting that He’s enough.
4. Ask God Before Acting
Before making decisions, big or small, pause and ask Jesus to guide you. Whether it's about work, family, or personal choices, practice inviting Him into the everyday moments and letting His wisdom direct you.
These steps encourage slowing down, focusing on relationship rather than performance, and making space for Jesus in everyday life.
